Rotary exhaust valve for duplex sealing exhaust machines



Nov. 5, 1957 D. MULLAN 2,311,992

ROTARY EXHAUST VALVE FOR DUPLEX SEALING EXHAUST MACHINES Filed Nov. 3. 1954l 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 71mm: i

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Nov. 5, 1957 D.NMU| LAN Y 2,311,992

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RTARY EXHAUST VALVE FOR DUPLEX SEALING EXHAUST MACHINES Eaniel Mullan, Hillside, N. J., assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 3, 1954, Serial No. 466,574

2 Claims. (Cl. 141-66) The present invention relates 'to an automatic duplex sealing and exhaust machine and, more particularly, to a rotary exhaust valve for such a machine.

ln an eort to achieve higher rates of production in the sealing and exhaust of incandescent lamps of both the vacuum and gas ll types, it has been suggested in the art to employ a duplex sealing and exhaust machine or duplex sealex machine. A duplex sealex machine is one wherein each operation in the cycle is performed on lamps secured in two heads simultaneously. When such a duplex sealex machine indexes, it indexes two heads, and not one head per index. The duplex technique has the common serious defect consequently, of evacuating two lamps simultaneously from a single valve port, sweep and exhaust line. Therefore, when one of any pair of lamps has, or later develops, a leak, the quality of its associated lamp is seriously alected. As a result, lamp defects or shrinkage from vacuum defects are doubled.

An exhaust valve which may be incorporated in a conventional sealex machine which indexes one head per index is described in U. S. Patent 2,113,798 issued to me on April 12, 1938, entitled Exhaust Valve for Lamp Making Machines and assigned to the same assignee as the subject invention.

Hence, it has been found advantageous according to the invention to provide a rotary exhaust valve for a duplex sealex machine which would permit the duplex operation (i. e. the indexing of two lamps from station to station) and still permit individual evacuation and fill during the exhaust processing thereof. The novel rotary exhaust valve of the invention not only assures the segregation of each lamp indexed and exhausted in duplex or tandem but also provides the beneficial feature of almost continuous evacuation during the indexing period.

In its general aspect the present invention has as its objective an improved rotary exhaust valve for a duplex sealex machine. i

A specific object of the present invention is a rotary exhaust valve for a duplex sealex machine which permits the tandem or duplex indexing of a pair of lamps from station to station but still retains individual evacuation and processing thereof.

A further object is a rotary exhaust valve for a duplex sealex machine which provides a continuation of evacuation of the tandem exhausted lamps during a major portion of the indexing period.

An additional object is a sealex machine which indexes two lamps or heads from station to station, but individually evacuates or exhausts each lamp.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it appertains as the description thereof proceeds both by direct recitation and implication from the context.

Referring now to the drawings in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts through the several views:

,-Fig. l is a diagrammatic plan view of the modified ited States Patent O ICC incandescent lamp duplex sealex machine and associated lamp making machines provided with the novel rotary exhaust valve of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of the bottom half of the rotary exhaust valve of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a plan viewof the top half of the rotary exhaust valve of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view partially in section of a station of the sealex machine of Fig. l and showing the top and botto-m halves of the rotary exhaust valve of the invention and their associated head connecting sweeps and lines.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing the relative positions of ports in an upper valve section and slots in a lower valve section during indexing.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Fig; 1 the reference numeral 10 designates an automatic incandescent lamp group having a modified duplex sealex machine 12 which is provided with a novel rotary exhaust valve 14 of the invention.

Sealex machine This modified sealex machine 12 has la thirty-two head sealing portion and a thirty-two head exhaust portion provided with the conventional sixteen index positions per revolution of the sealing turret 16 and the exhaust turret 13 (Fig. 4). Stated another way, the thirty-two head exhaust positions are provided with thirty-two sweeps 20 and thirty-two ports 22 (Fig. 3) but two sealed lamps 24 (Fig. 4) in heads 26 are moved from station to station on each index. As shown in Fig. 4 the sealing turret 16 and exhaust turret 18 rotate from station to station on a suitable shaft 28 by means of a conventional indexing mechanism comprising essentially a shaft 29a upon which is secured a peripherally grooved cam 291:, so disposed as to engage pins 29e (Fig. 1) depending from the turret 18 of the sealex machine 12 and to rotate the turret 18 two heads or one-sixteenth of a revolution per index. The shaft 29a may carry a sprocket (not shown) which may be driven by a drive sprocket (not shown) and chain (not shown) but illustrated in U. S. Patent No. 1,953,492, issued April 3, 1934 and assigned to the same assignee as the subject application. The sealing turret 16 and the exhaust turret 18 carry respectively thirty-two sealing heads 30 and thirty-two exhaust heads 26.

The present invention may be used with a modified type of duplex sealex machine and the construction shown (thirty-two head, thirty-two sweep, thirty-two port) has been selected for the purpose of disclosing the advantages of the present invention when applied to a machine in which the work parts are moved continuously to attain high speed production. In the structure shown, a plurality of exhaust ports 22 (Fig. 4) are positioned adjacent to and in spaced relation around the periphery of a top section 32 of the exhaust valve 14 of the invention. Thirty-two ports 22 are shown in the drawings although more or less may be employed. Each port 22 is connected by a flexible tube or sweep 20 to a compression rubber assembly in an exhaust head 26 which holds an exhaust tube 36 of a lamp 24.

The heads 26 (Figs. l and 4) are of similar construction and inasmuch as their structure is well known in the art, it is believed that the showing made is sufcient. As the heads 26 move with the exhaust turret 18, the supported sealed lamps 24 are progressively connected to the preliminary vacuum and final vacuum pumps 64 and 66 respectively (Fig. 2) by means of the exhaust valve 14 comprising the top section 32 and a lower section 38 (Figs. 2 and 4).

These valve sections 32 and 38 (Fig. 4) are in the form of rings having ilat opposed surfaces with an interposed oil seal fed Athrough a passage. The top valve sec)- 3 tion 32 moves with the shaft 28 (Fig. 4) and is secured to the exhaust turret 18 by dowel pins. Pressure springs 29 serve to hold the upper section 32 in firm relation to the lower section 38 which is held stationary by means of dowel pins extending into said lower valve section 38 and into the frame 39 of the machine 12 As stated, the valve sections 32 and 38 which constitute a valve unit 14 serve to open and close the vacuum lines to the sweeps 20, and hence lamps 24 supported in the heads 26. This valve 14 also serves to admit gas to the lamp 24, as `when a gas-filled lamp is made, and/or to admit other gases with which the lamps 24 are ushed in the process of exhaust. Each head 26 (Fig. 4) is provided with a conduit or gas sweep 46 connecting the head 26 to 'gas outlet ports 48 at the top section 32 of the valve 14 by means of a rubber nipple 49 (Fig. 4). The gas inlet connections 52 for the lower section 38 of the valve 14 are not shown in Fig. 4 but are indicated at stations 6, and "14 in Fig. Z.

A compressible nipple 57 is provided between the gas sweep 46 (Fig. 4) and the head 26. A gas cut-off or pinch clamp means 58 has a cam which is movable about a pin, so that at the proper place during movement of the turret 18 the cam is operated to pinch or compress the nipple 57 and close off the passage of gas from conduit 46.

A machine 12 of the present type is usually provided with a duplex pump including the preliminary pump 64 and the final pump 66 (Fig. 2). The preliminary pump 64 is in communication with final pump 66 through conduit 68 (Fig. 2). Intermediate the pumps 64 and 66 is a conduit 70, controlled by a valve 72 `and leading to a manifold 74 having branch conduits 76 (at stations 1, 2, 3, 4," U6 and l0) connected to the lower section 38 of the valve unit 14, as hereinafter explained.

The final pump 66 connects with a manifold 80 through a conduit 82 which leads to the manifold 80 and is provided with a valve 84. This manifold 80 has branch conduits 85 (at stations 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, "13 and l4"`) connected to the lower portion 38 of the valve unit 14.

During the process of evacuation, the lamps 24 are flushed with gases, such as oxygen and nitrogen. When gas lamps are made, a final filling of argon gas may be provided. As shown in Fig. 2 three sources of gas conduits or gas lines are shown and indicated by the reference characters 84, 86 and 88 controlled by valves 90, 92 and 94 respectively. These gas conduits may supply nitrogen, oxygen, and argon, or any other desired gas or gases. These gases may be fed to the valve unit 14 at different stages or stations of the turret 18, but inasmuch as t'he valve 14 may be used with or without the introduction of gas in fthe lamp, further description of the gas flushing or filling is deemed unnecessary.

Valve As above pointed out, the valve unit 14 (Figs. 1 and 4) is constructed to provide a substantially continuous exhaust operation, to maintain an effective seal between the valve surfaces and to provide individual evacuation of each head 26 through the valve 14. Each of Ithe ports 22 (or orifices for the passage of a motive fluid, such as exhaust lgases from a lamp 24), 'hereinbefore mentioned, in the upper valve section 32 (Fig. 4) registers with a lower port 102 in the lower valve section 38.

Eaoh of the upper valve ports 22 (Figs. 3, 4 and 5) comprises a radial passage 104 (Fig. 4) connecting vertical passages 106 and 108 (Fig. 5) to a nipple. Each of the lower ports 102 of the lower valve section 38 is provided with an outer row of segmented circumferential slots 112 (Fig. 5) which register with vertical passages 106 and an inner row of segmented circumferential slots 114 (Fig. 5) which' register with vertical passages 108. An inclined passageway 118v (Fig. 4) connects each of 4 the slots 112 and 114 to the branch conduits 85 of the final vacuum manifold by means of a nipple and a rubber (Fig. 4).

A pinch clamp 126 (Fig. 4) on each of the heads 26, operable by a stationary cam (not shown) on the stationary portions of the sealex machine 12, closes the sweep 20 between stations 13 and 14 prior to final gas filling of a lamp 24 (Fig. 4) at station 14 (Fig. l).

The slots 112 (Fig. 5) of the outer row are staggered with respect to the slots 114 of the inner row, and at certain positions the ends of the opposite slots are in close proximity to a common radial line so that if, for example, vertical passage 106, is leaving the end of an outer slot 112, the vertical passage 108 will not be in communication with an inner slot 114. The distance between adjacent ends of, for example, the slots 112 and 114 will be slightly larger than the diameter of the vertical passages 106 and 108 to provide a momentary dead or cut-off stage during index and insure individual evacuation of each head 26 through the valve 14.

It will be obvious that the relative positions of the ends of the outer and inner slots, for example, 112 and 114 respectively with respect to a radial line is thus (according to the invention) dependent on the diameter of the passages 106 and 108. Thus, as the upper valve section 32 moves, one of the vertical passages 106, for example, is over an outer slot 112 in the lower valve section 38 while the other vertical passage 108 is closed. This gives a continuous exhaust operation, except for the above mentioned momentary dead or cut-ofi stage of indexing mentioned above.

The relative positions of upper valve passages 106 and 108 and the lower valve slots 112 and 114 are shown more clearly in Fig. 5 which is diagrammatic. It will be noted that the slots 112 and 114 and the vetrical passages 106 and 108 are disposed on the periphery of what may be termed different concentric circles X, X', and are so arranged that a row of vertical passages 106, for example, moves over a row of outer slots 112. Each pair of vertical passages 106 and 108 leading from radial passage 104 is `arranged so that one vertical passage 106 is on a circle concentric with that of the other vertical passage 108, the centers of both passages 106 and 108 being disposed on a common radial line Y.

As shown in Fig. 5, the slots 112 and 114 are so arranged that as a Vertical passage 106, for example, leaves (during index) the end of one outer slot 112 the vertical passages 106 and 108 are both moving into a dead or cut-ofi space. The adjacent ends of the slots 112 and 114 are thus positioned so that (during index) first each of the passages 106 is in continual communication only with, for example, one of the outer slots 112, secondly the passages 106 and 108 are momentarily out of communication with either slots 112 and 114, thirdly in the example chosen, one of the passages 108 is in continual communication with one of the slots 114, fourthly the passages 106 and 108 are again momentarily out of communication with either slots 112 and 114, and finally at the end of the index the passage 106 again is in communication with one of the outer slots 112. With this arrangement of passages 106 and 108 and slots 112 and 114, it is possible to maintain an eiective seal since the contacting area of the valve sections between the ports and slots is relatively large and still insure individual evacution of each head 26 through the valve 14.

Sealex operation It will be understood during the following description that at each station of the sealex machine 12 work is performed in tandem or duplex on two lamps 24 and each such station has only one number.

The tipped-off exhaust tubes 36 (Fig. 1) of the lamps 24 at station 16 of the sealex machine 12 may be removed from the compression rubber assemblies of a pair of heads 26 thereat. At station 1 the heads 26 may be loaded with lamps 24 transferred from heads 30 (Fig. 4) of the sealing turret 16 of the sealex machine 12. From stations l through the lamps 24 which are indexable in tandem (two stations per index) are subjected to a preliminary vacuum in manifold 74, as hereinbefore explained at all stations except stations 5, 7, "8 and "9 which are subject to the linal vacuum or exhaust of exhaust manifold 80. During the index between stations 5 and 6, the lamps 24 are given a suitable flush through the line 88 (Fig. 2), as hereinbefore explained. Again, between stations "9 and "10 the lamps 24 are given a similar flush through the line 86. From stations 4 through 13 the lamps 24 are in an oven (not shown) and given a suitable bake to remove water vapor and other deleterious gases therefrom.

From station l1 through station 13 the heads 26 (Figs. 1 and 4) are subjected to the final vacuum in the manifold 80. During the index between stations 13 and 14 the pinch clamps 126 (Fig. 4) of the heads 26 cut-olf the lamps 24 and the heads 14 from the exhaust system. At station 14 the lamps 24, for example, if they are of the gas-fill type, may be given a final fill through the line 84. At station 15 the lamps 24 are tipped-off.

Group As shown in Fig. l a pair of mounts 130 (Fig. 4) for lamps 24 may be loaded into duplex sealing heads 30 at station l thereof. At station 2 an automatic bulb loader 134 (Fig. l) will load bulbs 136 (Fig. 4) into the heads 30 thereof. From station 3" through station 16 the mounts 130 and the bulbs 136 may be sealed together in the usual manner to form lamps 24. The heads 30 are indexed in tandem (two stations per index) around the sealing stations of the sealex machine 12.

At the tip-olf station 15 of the exhaust turret 18 of the sealex machine 12, described in detail above a transfer mechanism 140 (Fig. 1) unload's a pair of exhausted and tipped-off lamps 24 from the heads 14 and loads them into a lamp conveyor 142. This conveyor 142 is equipped with a positioning mechanism (not shown) which prepositions the remote lead wires of the lamps 24 preparatory to their automatic assembly with lamp bases (not shown). A base feeding mechanism 146 conveys bases preiilled with cement to a base threading machine 148 which may index counterclockwise. This machine 148 is equipped with a device (not shown) to assure proper seating of each base in its holder and that each base has an unobstructed eyelet. A transfer turret of the machine 148 is equipped with vacuum pick-up cups and indexes clockwise. Each vacuum cup picks up a lamp 24 from the conveyor 142 and lowers or threads it into a base in a station directly opposite the machine 148. The threaded lamp 24 on the turret of the machine 148 is indexed to a station where it is automatically picked up by a transfer device 150 and is loaded into a head of the basing machine 152.

It will be understood that the bulb transfer device 140 (Fig. l) and the -conveyor 142, the base feeder 146, the base threading machine 148 and the automatic transfer device 150 are more fully explained in greater detail in my co-pending application Serial No. 449,482 tiled August 12, 1954 entitled High Speed Incandescent Lamp Finishing Machine.

This basing machine 152, may be, for example, a fortyeight head machine of the conventional type. From station 6 through station 23 the base may be suitably heated. The side wire may be located and the top wire stretched at station 25. At station 26 the lead wires may be cut olf. 'Ihe side wire may be suitably bent at station 27 and the soldering flux applied at station 29. At station 30 the side lead wire may be soldered; at station 3 l the top lead wire may be soldered. From stations 33 through 43 the bases may be cooled by air jets. From stations 34 through 38 filaments of the lamps 24 may be suitably flashed, according to a conventional seasoning schedule. The filaments of the lamps 24 are given a nal flash at station 44. At stations 45 through 48 the based lamps 24 may be unloaded from the machine 152.

Production A conventional basing machine 152 having, for example, a 2.4 sec. index may produce 1500 based lamps per hour. A conventional sixteen head, sixteen port, sixteen sweep sealex machine (not shown) driven with the basing machine 152 by the same countershaft (not shown) would likewise be capable of producing 1500 lamps per hour with the obviously same index time 2.4 sec. However, it is well known in the art of incandescent lamp manufacture that the the quality of exhausted lamps 24 improves and the maintenance and the depreciation of the sealex machine, would decrease if a longer index time could be employed. Hence, it has been found advantageous according to the present invention to provide a duplex sealex machine 12, having an index time of 4.8 sec. (two times 2.4 seconds) and which is capable of delivering two exhausted and tipped-olf lamps 24 per 4.8 secs. to the transfer device 142. ln addition, due to the novel arrangement of the exhaust valve 14, each of the heads 26 and hence, each of the lamps 24 held therein is individually evacuated through the valve 14. If one lamp 26 becomes a leaker it does not contaminate the adjacent lamp 26 by being commonly exhausted in tandem therewith.,

If on the other hand a basing machine (such as is disclosed in my above mentioned co-pending application Serial No. 449,482 filed August 12, 1954 and entitled High Speed Incandescent Lamp Finishing Machine) ,is employed an index time of about 2.4 secs. is employable and a production of 2500 lamps 24 per hour is obtainable. Such a basing machine may be equipped with cement baking fires, base air-cooling jets and lead wire positioning, trimming, iiuxing and soldering devices, as well as necessary lamp seasoning and inspection facilities for separating defective lamps 24 from good ones.

By employing the modified sealex machine 12 of my invention it is possible with an index of 2.4 secs. to produce. two exhausted and tipped-olf lamps 24 every 2.4 secs., or 3000 such lamps 24 each hour, thereby doubling the present exhaust production and insuring like quality in the increased amounts of lamps 24 produced.

Although a preferred embodiment of my invention has been disclosed it will be understood that modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A duplex exhaust machine comprising a rotatable turret provided with a plurality of exhaust heads indexable in pairs from station to station, a rotary exhaust valve comprising an upper rotary valve section having a flat surface and a lower stationary Valve section having a flat surface, said flat surfaces being disposed in contact with each other, said upper section being rotatable two heads per index and being provided with a plurality oi pairs of uppervertical valve passages disposed in spaced relation on a common radial line and means connecting each pair of said upper spaced vertical passages together, a sweep for connecting each of said connecting means to a head, said lower section being provided with arcuate valve slots arranged to register with said vertical passages, each of said slots being arranged to move out of register with a registering vertical passage before another slot moves into register with its companion registering vertical passage to insure individual evacuation of each head through said valve.

2. A duplex exhaust machine comprising a rotatable turret provided with a plurality of exhaust heads indexable in pairs from station to station, a rotary exhaust valve comprising an upper valve section having a flat face, a lower valve section having a iiat face, means for supporting said sections with said faces in contacting relation, means for effecting a relative rotary movement be- 7 tween said sections about a common axial line, said movement comprising two heads per index, one of said sections being provided with a plurality of pairs of vertical passages arranged in spaced relation along a common radial line and means connecting said vertical passages, a sweep for connecting each of said connecting means to a head the other section being provided with a plurality of slots positioned on dilerent concentric circles, said slots being so arranged that as the valve sections move relatively, each of said Vertical passages is moved out of communication with a registering slot on one concentric References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Mullan Apr. 12, 1938 Mullan Sept. 2, 1941 

